


Credit Where Credit is Due

by dapperanachronism



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: BAMF Tony Stark, Getting Together, Kidnapped Tony Stark, M/M, Protective Bucky Barnes, Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 10:26:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18892756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dapperanachronism/pseuds/dapperanachronism
Summary: AIM has Tony, and Bucky is having none of it. Tony is having none of it either.





	Credit Where Credit is Due

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shi_Toyu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shi_Toyu/gifts).



> Happy Birthday Shi-Toyu! I love you dearly <3
> 
> Thank you to [Robin_tCj](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Robin_tCJ/pseuds/Robin_tCJ) for the inspiration and the beta.

The corridor echoes with his heavy footsteps as he runs, but he doesn't slow. The trail of unconscious bodies left in his wake is a testament to the fact that Bucky is far past caring if anyone knows he's here. This was never about stealth. It was about getting Tony back, and raining hell down on the assholes that had taken him.

The raining hell part is going well. The finding Tony, not so much. The layout of the complex is convoluted, specifically designed to work against intruders. Bucky's growing increasingly frustrated, and he turns the corner to find another AIM idiot pointing a gun at him. Bucky's had just about enough of these guys. He charges the son of a bitch before he can get a shot off, disarms him in one quick movement, and has the guy pinned to the wall, metal hand around his neck before the guy knows what hit him. 

Bucky isn't quite squeezing hard enough to cut off the guy's airway -- he needs information after all -- but the AIM guy is still gasping, clawing at Bucky's hand and staring in wide-eyed terror. A satisfied smirk slowly spreads across Bucky's face which mostly serves to make the AIM guy panic even more. 

Good. 

"Where is Stark?" Bucky asks with terrifying calmness. 

"I don't-- I don't know," the guy sputters. 

Bucky raises his arm to lift the guy just high enough against the wall that he's standing on his tip toes. "Try again." 

"Detention is down one floor,” he gasps, voice squeezed out the narrowed column of his throat. “Northeast corner." 

Bucky drops him, and the guy collapses on the floor, sucking in huge gulps of air. Bucky rolls his eyes as he picks up the guy’s gun and turns away. Drama queen. Bucky had basically barely touched him. And it's not like Bucky was _actually_ going to kill him. He's trying to get through this with a minimal body count. Bucky doesn't really like killing people, even the bad guys, and truthfully, high casualties would upset Tony anyway. Scaring the hell out of them, though? He’s got that in the bag. 

Bucky takes off running again. At the end of the corridor there is an emergency stairwell that seems to run up to the top level of the complex, and he clocks it as the most efficient exit. God knows backtracking in this place isn’t going to work, so he adds it to the map he’s building in his mind as he moves. 

With one smooth motion, Bucky leaps over the railing and drops down to the landing below. This level is much quieter, and it's got Bucky on edge. If this is where they're keeping Tony, then it should be crawling with guards and guns. 

Unless they really had been stupid enough to dispatch their full force to deal with one intruder. It’s a flattering thought, really, that they might have deemed him that level of threat. They were right to, of course. But it’s still flattering. He’s a man on a mission after all, and he’s hellbent on it. 

He picks his way up to the northeast corner, and swipes his way past a secure door with a card that he'd taken off one of the rather suddenly unconscious commanders, and stops short. 

Inside, there are three uniformed AIM goons lying unconscious on the ground. There is a computer terminal sparking and smoking. 

And in the middle of the room, Tony freezes and looks up at him, halfway through uncoiling a length of rope that had clearly been restraining him. 

"Oh good, it's just you," Tony says, turning back to his task of freeing his hands from the rope. "I was worried more of them were going to show up." 

"They won't. I took out most of the people between here and the entrance. What the hell happened in here?" Bucky asked looking around the ruined space. 

"I took out the guards," Tony states, dropping the rope and picking up of the gun laying beside an unconscious man. 

"And the computer?" Bucky nods over to the machine that has apparently decided to give up on sparking, and instead bursts into flames. 

Tony shrugs. "Unfortunate casualty. These things happen." Bucky can't stop staring around the space where Tony had apparently taken out three armed guards with his hands literally tied. It’s... impressive. And attractive. 

"Okay, well let's get out of here so I can finish saving you," Bucky says, nodding back towards the door. 

"Uh, excuse me?" Tony cocks an eyebrow at him, and looks around the room very pointedly. "I think you'll find I saved myself." 

"No way. I fought my way in here, we have a clear route out," Bucky insists. 

Tony gestures to the gun in his hand, the flaming terminal, and his own key card he’d swiped. 

"I saved myself, you just beat me to it." 

Bucky rolls his eyes and huffs before turning and stalking back out the door. He's not really upset, he's just relieved more than anything. Every minute that he'd spent fighting his way down to Tony, his mind had supplied him with increasingly horrifying images of what AIM could be doing to him, and what kind of horrors he could walk into. 

The trek back up to the main floor through the stairwell is straightforward, and even though the alarms are still blaring in the compound, no one comes to try and stop them. 

"Jesus, how many people did you take out?" Tony asks halfway back to the main level. 

Bucky just shrugs. "I dunno. Lots?" 

"Lots," Tony repeats flatly. "By lots, do you mean all?" 

"Dunno, wasn't taking attendance. Maybe some decided to get out like smart little goons." 

"And you came here by yourself?" Tony asks. 

"Others were taking too long. They're probably here now," Bucky confirms. 

Tony laughs quietly, almost to himself, but it's not a malicious or mocking laugh. It's gentle, and fun, and understanding. "Bucky, were you worried about me?" 

Bucky growls a barely audible 'maybe' under his breath and very pointedly does not turn around. A second later, Tony catches up and grabs his arm, pulling Bucky to a stop and making him turn around. 

"Okay, fine, you big baby. You can have some of the credit for saving me." Tony leans in, his eyes twinkling and a smile on his face, and presses a kiss to Bucky's cheek, right at the corner of his mouth. Bucky's brain nearly short circuits in disbelief at the feeling of Tony's perfect lips against his skin. Tony pulls back and looks at him quizzically. "You okay there soldier?" 

"Yes," Bucky says quickly. "I... do you...?" 

Tony rolls his eyes and continues up the steps, pulling Bucky behind him. "Of course I like you, idiot. I wouldn’t share credit for saving me with just anyone you know. Want me to kiss you again to prove it?" 

Bucky hesitates, but doesn't stop himself from saying, "Yes please," even though this is hardly the time or place. 

Tony laughs at him again, and places another quick kiss against the other cheek. "I’ll do it properly next time. Now come on, hurry up. Sooner we get home, sooner I can thank you properly, oh hero of mine." 

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [tumblr](http://dapperanachronism.tumblr.com)!


End file.
